


Fortune Teller

by notoffkilter



Category: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:01:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27337609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notoffkilter/pseuds/notoffkilter
Summary: One young man was hanging out on the beach, even after the crowds left.
Kudos: 2





	Fortune Teller

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, this is a bit of an older story, I'll be posting Bruce/Estreet stories I wrote a while ago here. Anyways enjoy! :)
> 
> This story is based around this song with the same name
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkR8MrirKIY

Near Asbury Park, New Jersey it was the summertime.  
  
Family’s were gathered around the beaches having their fun for the day.  
  
All sorts were laughing and playing in the water, the city was busy, and so was the boardwalk.  
  
Eventually the day would draw to a close, as the sun began to set.  
  
Families, couples, and teens would start to pack up their things, and head home.  
  
One young man was hanging out on the beach, even after the crowds left.  
  
Purple and pink filled the sky, as clouds lazily pulled through the air.  
  
He let out a heavy sigh.  
  
He ran a hand through his corkscrew curls of dark hair.  
  
_“Come on Bruce! We’re going to Stone Pony!”_  
  
Bruce lifted his head and looked over.  
  
He seen a group of his friends trying to coax him to leave the beach.  
  
“I’ll meet up with you there!,” Bruce called back.  
  
His friends rolled their eyes, but left him nonetheless.  
  
There was always something enticing about going to the Stone Pony, mostly to see the bands play, than say to drink. This particular night however Bruce didn’t feel all up to it.  
  
As the sun was set, and the purple and pink faded from the sky, which slowly turned into a darkened blue.  
  
Bruce got up from the sands of the beach.  
  
He dusted off his pants.  
  
He walked towards the boardwalk, with very small inklings of people walking to nearby bars or just back to their car to head home for the evening.  
  
Bruce passed by the small businesses that were closing up shop for the night.  
  
As he continued his trek to the Stone Pony, he stopped dead in his tracks.  
  
He happened to look over, seeing something he hadn’t before.  
  
It looked like a small tent that was set up on the boardwalk, it was nestled in quite cozily in between businesses.  
  
Bruce wondered if this was someone that just set up shop.  
  
His eyes lowered to the sign that was standing near the entrance.  
  
_**”Psychic Special $2 Palm Readings”**_  
  
Bruce let out a small scoff of a laugh under his breath  
  
Palm readings?  
  
Bruce wanted to roll his eyes at this gimmick schtick.  
  
However he was a young man after all.  
  
He knew there was a mystery to these mystics, that did leave you with this childlike wonder about them.  
  
Bruce felt around in his pocket, and pulled out whatever he had.  
  
He had only a few dollars to his name at the moment.  
  
Bruce looked to the sign, then to the entrance to the tent.  
  
_Fuck it!_  
  
Bruce stuffed his money back in his pocket, and walked over.  
  
He pulled back the flap to the tent, and walked inside.  
  
Bruce was immediately hit with the smell of incense.  
  
He stepped more inside.  
  
Quickly noticing how much bigger the inside was, than what the outside showed.  
  
His eyes looked around in wonder.  
  
Bruce lightly cleared his throat then said, “hello?...”  
  
_”Just a moment!”_  
  
Bruce looked to the back of the tent, where there was another room.  
  
Another room?...  
  
Bruce was already feeling slightly weird already, since the tent on the outside only looked to be 4 feet by 4 feet.  
  
_”Well don’t be shy? Have a seat son, I’ll be out in just a moment.”_  
  
Bruce blinked, then looked down seeing the table in front of him.  
  
Bruce took a seat, his eyes curiously looking around still.  
  
It reminded him of a caravan.  
  
Dimly lit lantern lights, and astrological tapestries hanging everywhere.  
  
Eventually Bruce’s eyes looked down to the table he was sitting at.  
  
There sat a crystal ball.  
  
He knew most mystics would have this type of thing, but it was interesting to see it actually in person for once.  
  
He wondered how it worked.  
  
It was completely see through, and he didn’t see anything attached to it, that could try and trick him.  
  
_”You young man are looking for something aren’t you?”_  
  
Bruce jumped a little, since he was about to touch the crystal, he pulled his hand back.  
  
“I… Uh…,” Bruce stammered, looking to the back of the tent.  
  
_”Or wanting something? Well no matter!_  
  
_”I’ll tell you everything you need to know son, they call me Clarence The Mystic for a reason!”_  
  
Bruce jumped again when he heard what sounded like a firecracker go off, then a big cloud of smoke appear.  
  
Just in a flash a man had appeared out from the smoke.  
  
A dark skinned man stood near the table.  
  
Bruce noted they seemed a bit older than himself.  
  
Also how this man dressed, it reminded him of how people dressed in California when he visited his parents, and little sister.  
  
_Bohemian? Hippie?_  
  
Well whatever, it just showed you were a free spirit or something like that.  
  
The dark tinted sunglasses he was wearing inside the tent was also throwing him off, how could he see in here?  
  
“So what brings you in? Tarot reading? Palm reading? Talk to a deceased loved one?,” Clarence asked, just as he took a seat.  
  
Bruce took in this stranger, he definitely had an over enthusiastic charm about him. Also something else he couldn’t quite place yet.  
  
Bruce suddenly felt a little funny he couldn’t explain it, he felt his face burning.  
  
“Ah… Palm reading… The sign out there…,” Bruce managed to say.  
  
“Palm readings I suppose are good for a first timer,” Clarence smiled.  
  
“How did you kn-”  
  
“It doesn’t take a mystic to notice someone in an unfamiliar territory, but that’s alright, it says something about you, that you wandered in,” Clarence explained.  
  
Clarence held out his hand.  
  
Bruce looked at it, and assumed he was suppose to hold out his own.  
  
Clarence lightly cleared his throat.  
  
Bruce blinked.  
  
It took him a moment, but then realized he assumed this stranger wanted payment.  
  
Bruce felt around in his pocket, and offered his two dollars.  
  
Clarence lightly plucked it out of his hand, and tucked it away in his silken paisley patterned robe he was wearing.  
  
“Alright let’s get started, let me see your hand son,” Clarence smiled.  
  
Bruce offered his hand again, this time Clarence took it.  
  
In a gentle but firm grasp he held Bruce’s wrist, while his free hand followed the lines of his palm.  
  
“Bruce Springsteen, your name really has a nice ring to it,” Clarence said suddenly.  
  
Bruce looked to Clarence, then down at his palm, how did he know his name, his whole name in fact. He wondered what Clarence was seeing that he wasn’t.  
  
“You know what I like about palm readings?,” Clarence mused aloud.  
  
Bruce shook his head, clueless.  
  
“Everything is here, the past, the present, and the future. There’s no changing it, for any of the timelines. So I can tell anyone anything, and that’s that. Only downside I can’t go into detail, since I guess you can say, the palm is the summary of your life Bruce,” Clarence explained.  
  
“Well… I guess… What do you see?,” Bruce then asked.  
  
“I’m getting there, you younger folks need some patience,” Clarence chuckled softly.  
  
Bruce quieted down, and let Clarence do his thing mystics do.  
  
“You come from a working family, your upbringing was good… Better than most, that’s left you bit entitled. It’s made that a flaw about yourself, but one you work through it everyday… Even now your working… Passionate. As for the future a nice long future for a nice young man,” Clarence explained.  
  
Bruce was already trying to dissect how this mystic could’ve guessed that.  
  
Nothing in his appearance really gave it away, nor did he mention anything about himself.  
  
“Something else on your mind?,” Clarence asked, noticing how Bruce was looking at him.  
  
Before Bruce could even say anything Clarence beat him to it.  
  
“I know, I can tell you something that any young man your age wants to know,” Clarence snap his fingers.  
  
Bruce was suddenly curious.  
  
“And what’s that?,” Bruce questioned.  
  
“A more detailed reading that’s going to cost you,” Clarence said.  
  
Bruce pouted just a little.  
  
“For someone handsome as you, I’ll give you a discount, $1,” Clarence smiled.  
  
Bruce thought about it briefly, he wondered what else Clarence could tell him.  
  
Bruce sighed, he felt in his pocket again, and offered up his dollar.  
  
Just like before Clarence took it, and hid it away.  
  
Clarence lightly cleared his throat, “I’ll need both of your hands this time,” he instructed.  
  
Bruce offered up both of his hands.  
  
Clarence looked up to the ceiling, Bruce looked at him.  
  
Suddenly the crystal ball started to glow briefly, but stopped once Clarence looked across at Bruce.  
  
Bruce was surprised seeing this.  
  
“Son are you feeling kinda warm?,” Clarence asked.  
  
“Huh?...,” Bruce looked at Clarence a bit confused.  
  
“You’re in love,” Clarence said matter of factly.  
  
Bruce looked even more confused, “what?... Not with anyone I know,” he shook his head in disbelief at the very idea.  
  
“My advice look into their eyes, at the next person that arrives,” Clarence instructed.  
  
Bruce skeptical, but also intrigued him at the same time.  
  
The next person?  
  
Yeah right.  
  
“Anything else?,” Clarence asked.  
  
“I… Uh think you told me enough thanks,” Bruce said before getting up from his chair.  
  
“Anytime, if you stop by again, I’ll give you a discounted tarot reading~” Clarence waved goodbye to Bruce.  
  
When Bruce left the tent he let out a small laugh, that was a lot of bullshit, and now he was out $3.  
  
Well he supposed that was his own fault for being so curious.  
  
It had gotten much later now, the street lights were on, and boardwalk was mostly dark.  
  
There wasn’t a soul out.  
  
He didn’t see anyone that apparently he was suppose to be _in love_ with.  
  
Bruce walked to the bus stop, and waited for the last bus to come, so he could finally go home.  
  
He didn’t bother with the Stone Pony either.  
  
Bruce definitely felt like he’d been tricked.  
  
There wasn’t anyone on the bus either, besides the driver, which he highly doubt he’d fall in love with an 80 year old woman.  
  
Bruce crossed his arms in a huff, suddenly he wanted to prove this mystic wrong.  
  
Yeah that’s it…  
  
Tomorrow he was gonna go right up to him, and tell him he was lying and tricked him.  
  
Let’s see what that Mystic has to say about that.  
  
Bruce smiled to himself confidently.  
  
  
  
\----  
  
  
  
The next day Bruce came by the boardwalk, though he was dumbfounded when he came back to the exact spot from last night.  
  
The tent was gone?  
  
Seeing this… Well not seeing the tent or Clarence there left him a bit upset. Since he’d practiced what he was going to say to this Mystic.  
  
Now Bruce felt even more tricked.  
  
He figured that was the plan for those types, scam an innocent civilian, then high tail it the hell out of there.  
  
Even though Bruce felt this way, something just didn’t feel right.  
  
He wasn’t sure what it was, he couldn’t place this feeling.  
  
Eventually the whole thing just didn’t add up, Clarence didn’t seem like the type to run away.  
  
Bruce thought about it more, maybe this mystic wouldn’t be around till later.  
  
Since he assumed that the tent appeared, when other shops were closed, most likely so the cops wouldn’t be called.  
  
Bruce let out a disgruntled huff under his breath, fine he was going to wait.  
  
Was Bruce really that petty, that he’d wait hours just to tell someone was wrong? Well usually not, but it was one of the very few times that he felt like he _needed_ to.  
  
So Bruce waited for the next five hours or so when the sun would set, and he could give this Mystic an earful.  
  
Bruce was never more thankful when the sky slowly shifted colors.  
  
Just like the other day, people started to pack up their things.  
  
He waited till the sky completely darkened, as he made another pass through the boardwalk.  
  
Businesses were closed, but as he made his way further down, he spotted that beige colored tent.  
  
He felt his heart race excitedly.  
  
When he finally came up to the tent, he was surprised at what he saw.  
  
There was a sign hanging up that said, _’closed’_.  
  
Closed?  
  
CLOSED???  
  
That made absolutely no sense at all, he just got here why in the hell would he be closed?  
  
Bruce ignored the ridiculous sign, and poked his head inside.  
  
“Hello?,” Bruce called out.  
  
_”I’m closed, come back later.”_  
  
Bruce frowned when he heard Clarence’s voice from the back of the tent, basically tell him to go away.  
  
Bruce stepped into the tent.  
  
“I need to talk to you, it’s about yesterday,” Bruce said confidently.  
  
_”Yesterday?... Oh! Mister Bruce Springsteen, come on back~”_  
  
Bruce felt his face suddenly burning again.  
  
Clarence actually sounded very happy to see him.  
  
Well that was a bit different than planned.  
  
Bruce took a deep breath.  
  
_Remember the plan._  
  
Bruce carefully walked to the back, and pulled back another flap, revealing another room.  
  
Bruce briefly looked around, then quickly seeing Clarence sitting on the floor at a table, that was also low to the ground.  
  
Clarence gestured for Bruce to take a seat across him him.  
  
Bruce walked over and sat crossed legged on a plush cushion.  
  
“I came here becau-” Bruce started off, but was cut off by Clarence.  
  
“Tea?,” Clarence offered.  
  
“Sure… But anyways I-” Bruce tried again.  
  
“Sorry if I came off a bit rude had a long night yesterday,” Clarence apologized.  
  
“Oh… It’s alright…,” Bruce reassured.  
  
Clarence took off his sunglasses, and rubbed his eyes.  
  
“Tired?...,” Bruce asked.  
  
“A little, but I’ll live,” Clarence sighed, then looked to Bruce.  
  
“Sorry you wanted to tell me something?,” Clarence added.  
  
Bruce looked at Clarence.  
  
“I did?...,” Bruce questioned.  
  
Bruce couldn’t really think straight as he continued to look at Clarence.  
  
He could actually see his eyes.  
  
They were a deep brown color.  
  
They looked a touch tired, and a little droopy.  
  
Bruce couldn’t help, but stare deeply into them.  
  
“Yeah? You sounded pretty insistent,” Clarence said.  
  
“Oh… Well I…,” Bruce started to get a bit flustered, his face burned more.  
  
Clarence patiently waited for Bruce to get his words together, as he poured them tea.  
  
“I… I Think I’m in love,” Bruce managed to say finally.


End file.
